Changes V2
by Aussie-Samurai
Summary: Yuuko Ichihara, an assumed name for a woman whose past is clouded in mystery, but who was she?
1. Chapter 1

Changes

Kohane lay sprawled on the deck as she looked out over the garden occasionally bringing either her pipe or her sake glass to her lips. As she lay there, she pondered her life, her long life.

At nine, she realised that she could see people that others couldn't and knew in her heart that they were the souls of the departed or spirits of the natural world. Her powers increased one night when a feather floated in from thin air and landed on her chest as she lay in bed only for the feather to absorb into her body.

She knew it wasn't hers, only that she would keep it safe until someone asked for it, until then she'd use the powers it gave her to help others.

He mother had taken advantage of her powers, used them to gain wealth and fame… at the expense of love. Her mother's obsession with her powers had driven her father away because he couldn't stand to see his daughter treated like that, it had also caused her mother to distance her self. Her mother had isolated her to keep her and her powers 'pure'.

That feather while an honour to carry and use its powers had been quite the burden on her life, preventing her from living the life she wished for, the life of a normal girl.

One good thing had come out of it though, she met Watanuki-kun.

The first person in years to care for her and not what she could do. He had similar problems with his powers. Her friendship with him had led to many new friendships that she had cherished and loved.

The sake cup paused at her lips as she remembered the pain Watanuki had suffered at the lose of Yuuko. His pain spread to everyone else who was helpless to help him since he refused to grieve. It had caused her heart to clench every time she saw him pining after her. _"How Ironic"_ she thought, that she'd been jealous, wishing that Watanuki would show her the same level of care that he did to Yuuko's memory and her legacy.

It had brightened her day dramatically when Watanuki had given her Yuuko's old clothes, not because they were hers but because it meant that he was letting go, finally accepting Yuuko's end. She hadn't noticed it then but in hindsight, it was clear as day, the look he had, and the secret smile he wore when he saw her wearing one of Yuuko's kimonos, like he knew something or was enjoying a private joke. "_He'd known" _Kohane thought "_he saw it and encouraged it"_

He constantly encouraged her love of mythology, her studies into various religions, spirituality, and history. He even taught her all forms of magic in addition to the magic she learnt from the fortuneteller who took her in. "_The both must have know. Of course"_ she thought,_ "Oba-chan was a fortune teller for a reason, no wonder she never did any readings for me"_

Flash back

"Congratulations Kohane-chan, you graduated university" smiled Watanuki "here, a gift to celebrate completing university and becoming a beautiful young woman" he gently placed a necklace around her neck; it was silver butterfly charm on a silver chain. She had loved it instantly.

"Kohane-chan, this necklace symbolises how much you've grown and that you'll continue to grow and change into an amazing woman"

Flash back end

"_He was right, I continued to grow in maturity, knowledge and power but not in age, I stopped aging stayed eternally young after that day" _Kohane thought

As it became obvious that she wasn't aging she moved into the shop with Watanuki as they both watched their friends and family age and die. Everyone passed away except for her and Watanuki.

Flash back

The air trembled; a white Mokona appeared in the middle of the shop. Watanuki turned to its "so it's come to an end?"

The white Mokona nodded "their journeys have ended, they all move onto the next great adventure as do we all"

Moments later the black Mokona entered and waved goodbye as Maru and Moro cried that their little friends was leaving.

"Good bye Watanuki-kun, Goodby Kohane-chan" the two mokonas said as they

Turned to face each other and open their mouths wide as they absorbed the other, both vanishing into the others mouth.

"Don't cry girls, they will come back to us when they are needed again" said Watanuki as he comforted the girls

Flash back end

Days latter Domeki passed away. His family brought him to the shop so that he may spend his final moments there and so that the shop may serve as his final resting place while the mysterious egg would be buried in his place at his family shrine.

By doing this Domeki was replacing Watanuki. Since Domeki's body would not leave the shop forever interred Watanuki was granted freedom to leave the shop.

She and Watanuki immediately began travelling the world and other worlds, gaining knowledge and power until only they could rival each other. Together they created life, worlds and granted all that was within their power as long as someone else wished for it.

Through out the centuries of travel they took many names and aliases as they travelled together. Until, her life was coming to an end, she had lived a long life loved every minute that she and Watanuki had been together.

Watanuki it seemed couldn't bear the thought of her dieing, just as her last breath reached her lips he made a wish.

That dammed wish

He wished that she would keep living until she had served her purpose

He paid the cost of the wish with his own life.

Flash back

His life force flowed through her, strengthening her, changing her.

Her once golden locks of hair took on Watanuki's dark colouring and became darker than night.

Her eyes glowed with a new light and power changing into either red or orange depending on her mood.

She looked down at her necklace, the one that Watanuki had given her all those centuries ago, the butterfly one. She decided to bury it with him, so that she would always be close to him even in death.

She buried him in the country he had died in and using her power built a huge castle over his remains, one with two stone towers resembling wings bursting out of the ground. The citizens of the country remained their world after his favourite alias 'Clow Reed'

Flash back end

She had hated him for leaving her alone, she hated that he had given his life so that she could continue hers, but she knew it was necessary, it was part of _Hitsuzen, _she still had a purpose and woudn't pass away or fade until she had served it.

She returned to the shop to await his return, she waited many years for his return and finally one day he did, his own feet literally dragged him into the store.

"Yuuko-san, here's the other bottle you asked for" said Watanuki as he placed the new bottle beside her breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Why thank you Watanuki-kun" she replied cheerily

"_Yes it was ironic that I had been jealous of Yuuko all those years ago,_" thought Kohane as she watched Watanuki working in the garden "_after all, Yuuko Ichihara was just a name I have given myself"_


	2. house keeping

Hey, I got so caught up in my work that I realised I'd missed a few things in the previous chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own xxxHolic or its characters they are property of CLAMP

Authors note: I decided to continue my exploration into possibilities of where Yuuko originated from and her relationship to Clow Reed and Watanuki


End file.
